Fishscale
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| Fishscale | |||||
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| Studio album by Ghostface Killah | |||||
| Released | March 28, 2006 (US) 3 April 2006 (UK) |
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| Recorded | 2005-2006 | ||||
| Genre | East Coast hip hop, Mafioso rap | ||||
| Length | 65:00 | ||||
| Label | Def Jam | ||||
| Producer | MoSS, Just Blaze, J. Dilla, Pete Rock, MF Doom, Xtreme | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
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| Ghostface Killah chronology | |||||
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| Wu-Tang Clan chronology | |||||
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- This article is about an album titled fishscale. Information on the scales of a fish can be found at fish scale.
Fishscale is the fifth solo album by Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. It was released by Def Jam on March 28, 2006. The album follows a cocaine theme, named after a term for uncut cocaine, fishscale.
The single "Back Like That" reached #14 on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while "Be Easy" reached #91 on the same chart.[1] The album sold about 110,000 units in first week, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the Top Rap/R&B Albums chart, his highest chart position since his 1996 debut, Ironman.[2]
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[edit] Album information
In January 2006, a sampler was released, containing full versions of "Be Easy", "Back Like That", and "Kilo", as well as shortened versions of "Big Girl" and "Charlie Brown". It also included an alternate version of "The Champ". Charlie Brown, which was produced by MF DOOM, contained a sample from Caetano Veloso's "Alfomega" that did not ultimately receive clearance, and the song did not appear on the final album. Similarly, "The Champ" was not cleared and an altered version found its way onto the album.
Upon release, the album received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. The album contains many collaborations with Theodore Unit and the Wu-Tang Clan members, but only one Wu-Tang in-house beat (created by Ghostface himself), making it Ghostface's first album free of production from RZA (although he appears on the intro to "9 Milli Bros.").
J Dilla's productions are taken from his album Donuts, and MF DOOM's productions are taken from his Special Herbs series of albums.
[edit] Reception
Critics received the album extremely positively, and it earned an 88 on Metacritic.[3] Famed music critic Robert Christgau was especially extolling, awarding an A+ rating and likening the album to Public Enemy's universally hailed It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
Critics also praised the album's heavy reliance on soul samples, and Ghost's comfort in their context.
Fishscale produced renewed enthusiasm for other future Wu projects, including upcoming albums from Raekwon, Masta Killa, and Method Man.
Pitchfork Media - Ranked #75 of The Top 200 Albums of the 2000's
[edit] In Popular Culture
The song "The Champ" was used as the entrance song for Kenny Florian at UFC 101.
[edit] Track listing
| # | Title | Length | Performer(s) | Producer(s) | Samples |
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| 1 | "The Return of Clyde Smith" (Intro) | 1:04 |
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| 2 | "Shakey Dog" | 3:44 |
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Lewis Parker |
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| 3 | "Kilo" | 4:00 |
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MoSS |
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| 4 | "The Champ" | 4:09 |
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Just Blaze |
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| 5 | "Major Operation" (Skit) | 0:06 | |||
| 6 | "9 Milli Bros." | 4:14 |
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MF DOOM |
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| 7 | "Beauty Jackson" | 1:32 |
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J Dilla |
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| 8 | "Heart Street Directions" (Skit) | 0:54 |
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| 9 | "Columbus Exchange" (Skit) / "Crack Spot" | 2:21 (0:10/2:11) |
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Crack Val |
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| 10 | "R.A.G.U." (Raekwon and Ghostface Killah United) | 2:39 | Ghostface Killah & Raekwon | Pete Rock | |
| 11 | "Bad Mouth Kid" (Skit) | 1:10 | *Perfomed by Ghostface Killah | ||
| 12 | "Whip You With a Strap" | 2:51 | *Performed by Ghostface Killah | J Dilla |
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| 13 | "Back Like That" | 4:02 | *Perfomed by Ghostface Killah & Ne-Yo | Xtreme |
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| 14 | "Be Easy" | 3:19 | *Perfomed by Ghostface Killah & Trife Da God | Pete Rock |
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| 15 | "Clipse of Doom" | 3:09 | *Performed by Ghostface Killah & Trife Da God | MF DOOM |
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| 16 | "Jellyfish" | 3:50 | *Performed Ghostface Killah, Theodore Unit (Cappadonna, Shawn Wigs & Trife Da God) | MF DOOM |
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| 17 | "Dogs of War" | 4:04 | *Performed by Ghostface Killah, Raekwon & Theodore Unit | Pete Rock | |
| 18 | "Barbershop" | 1:56 | *Performed by Ghostface Killah | Studio Steve |
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| 19 | "Ms. Sweetwater" (Skit) | 0:14 | |||
| 20 | "Big Girl" | 3:35 | *Performed Ghostface Killah | Ghostface Killah |
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| 21 | "Underwater" | 2:03 | *Performed by Ghostface Killah | MF DOOM |
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| 22 | "The Ironman Takeover" (Skit) | 0:05 | |||
| 23 | "Momma" | 4:49 | *Performed by Ghostface Killah & Megan Rochell | Sean Cane & LV for The Hitmen |
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| 24 | "Three Bricks" | 4:58 | *Performed Ghostface Killah, The Notorious B.I.G. & Raekwon | Cool & Dre
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[edit] References
- ^ Artist chart history for Ghostface Killah (singles), Billboard.com.
- ^ Katie Hasty, "T.I. Rules As 'King' Of Album Chart", Billboard.com, April 5, 2006.
- ^ Ghostface Killah: Fishscale (2006): Reviews
[edit] External links
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